Snap wrap markers are known in the art to comprise a plastic sheet, for example, six inches in length and five inches in width. The plastic sheet is treated in a conventional manner so that the sheet has elasticity and in its rest state coils into a cylinder, for example, about 2½ inches in diameter. Thus, the plastic marker in its rest state is coiled for placement about a pipe or cable and in its rest state comprises approximately two layers of the coiled plastic sheet. This pre-coiled plastic marker 10 is shown in FIG. 1 and may be, for example, emergency orange, to identify overhead pipes and cables. More specifically, overhead fiber optic cables and cable television cables may be identified with specifically colored pre-coiled plastic markers for safety and identification purposes. The marker may also be printed in large letters with identification such as “CAUTION FIBER OPTIC CABLE” or other similar identification.
Snap wrap markers snap also similarly applied to identify distant pipes carrying liquids or enclosing wires, for example. These pipes may be at a distance either overhead or out of reach below and within a factory or warehouse.
Marker 10 is typically applied manually to an overhead cable when a workman is on a “cherry picker” or lift which places him at the height of a cable which is strung overhead on a telephone pole. When the workman is working on the cable itself, it is quite simple at that time to uncoil a marker and then allow it to coil around the cable. At other times, the marker is required to be applied to the cable when actual work is not being done on the cable itself. It would then be necessary for the workman to be specially raised for this sole purpose to the height of the cable which is, of course, expensive, time consuming and has risks from passing traffic.